This running enthusiast eschews wearing shoes

By Dan Ozzi….Christopher McDougall — whose bestselling book, Born To Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen, was released in paperback on Apr. 1 — is coming to Books and Books, 265 Aragon Ave. in Coral Gables. He will be speaking on Apr. 30 at 2 p.m. and asking those interested to run with him at noon.

Born To Run is arguably the most important book ever written on the subject of running. Important, not only for its gripping narrative and eye-opening information, but for its impact — having completely revolutionized conventional knowledge of the sport.

For centuries, many runners and athletes, like the author, have suffered through years of crippling pain in their feet, knees, and back. That was until Born To Run changed that with one simple philosophy: Get naked… well, from the ankle down, anyway. Take off your clunky $120 running sneakers with the air compressors and the shock absorbers and just run.

The idea quickly spread and the book went from a modest 14,000 copy printing to having sold half a million copies and has remained on the New York Times bestseller list for the past two years. A movement was born.

This spring, to coincide with the paperback release of Born To Run, McDougall is taking that movement on the road with “The Naked Tour,” a nationwide celebration of running’s bare essentials. The tour will combine “naked” runs with McDougall and “naked cabarets,” featuring some of the leading voices in the barefoot movement (including Scott Jurek, John Durant, Dr. Daniel Lieberman, and more).

To learn more about the tour and what goes on at each event and the participants, check online at www.thenakedtour.com.